Uncle Bills Creamed Young Beets And Tops Recipes

UNCLE BILL'S CREAMED YOUNG BEETS AND TOPS

Steps:

• Snip off the thin portion of the young beet root and discard.
• Wash the small beet with the beet tops well in cold water.
• Place the beet tops in a large cooking pot.
• Cover with cold water and bring to boil.
• Cover and cook for about 4 - 5 minutes or until the greens just start to wilt.
• Immediately remove the beets into a large frying pan using a slotted spoon.
• Add butter and fry on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes, stirring often.
• Now add the whipping cream, salt and pepper.
• Stir to coat beets and continue to fry until the whipping cream is reduced and starts to thicken into a creamy sauce, about 3 minutes.
• Serve along with your dinner meal.
• You may also use larger fresh beet top greens, but remove most of the stem from the leaves and discard.
• If desired, you can also use larger beets, but firstly peel them and cut them into very small cubes.
• Cook the cubed beets in water for about 4 minutes before adding the beet greens.
• Then continue to cook for another 4 minutes.
• Proceed in the same method as for the young beets.
• This method also works well for Swiss Chard.

CREAMED BEETS

Steps:

• 1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in flour. Let it heat over a medium heat, but don't let it brown. Stir in milk, blending well. When it starts bubbling around the edges, add the beets, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to very low and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
• 2. NOTE: You can also add a dash of nutmeg and 1/2 cup of plain yogurt, after reducing the heat to low.

UNCLE BILL'S SCOTCH SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift flour with baking powder and salt.
• In a separate mixing bowl, mix together butter, sugar and almond extract; beat until very light and fluffy.
• Combine butter mixture with flour and mix by hand until dough is very smooth.
• If dough is too hard to handle, refrigerate for about 1/2 hour to chill.
• Form dough into 1 inch balls.
• Place dough balls on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Flatten to desired thickness, about 1/4 inch thick using the bottom of a drinking glass preferably with a pattern on the bottom.
• Bake in preheated 350 F oven for 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
• DO NOT OVERBAKE.
• Store cookies in a container with lid.

UNCLE BILL'S BEETS & STRING BEANS IN A CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium sized saucepan, add whole beets, (Do not cut the top or bottom of the beets.).
• Snip the ends off the string beans and discard, then add them to the saucepan with beets. Cover with hot water and bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to a strong simmer, place lid on saucepan and cook the beans for 10 minutes. Remove beans into a mixing bowl and cover with cold water; set aside.
• Continue to cook the beets for an additional 20 - 25 minutes or just until you can pierce the beets with a fork; do not overcook.
• Immediately drain the beets and cover with cold water, drain and cover again with cold water and let sit for 3 minutes.
• Cut the tips and bottom of the beets, peel the skins and discard.
• Cut the beets into quarters and then slice them to about 1/8 inch thick slices.
• In a large frying pan, melt butter on medium-high heat.
• Add the sliced beets and stir to coat with butter.
• Cut the beans in half and add to the frying pan stirring to coat with butter.
• Saute' the beets/beans for 8 minutes, mixing often.
• Add the sugar, salt, granulated garlic powder, dried dill weed and whipping cream, stirring to coat beets/beans.
• Continue to simmer uncovered for another 3 to 5 minutes or until a nice creamy sauce begins to form and thicken slightly.
• Serve as a side dish or over a slice of bread.
• NOTE: You can also use yellow string beans.
• It takes about 6 - 1 1/2" diameter beets for 12 ounces.
• It takes about 16 - 6" long beans for 6 ounces.

BEET GREEN BORSCHT

Steps:

• In a large frying pan, melt 1/4 cup of margarine or butter.
• Add chopped onions and saute' for 5 minutes but do not brown.
• Add mashed tomatoes including liquid and simmer until reduced to about half (about 20 minutes) then set aside.
• In a large cooking pot, add 16 cups of water and bring to boil.
• Add salt, potato quarters, chopped carrots and the beet and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.
• When potatoes are tender, remove into a bowl and mash.
• Add the remainder 1/4 cup of margarine or butter, half and half cream to the mashed potatoes and mix well, then set aside.
• Trim tail ends of the young beets, and scrub only, then cut into small pieces and add to soup pot.
• Chop beet greens into medium size pieces and add to soup pot.
• Add cubed potatoes, spinach greens, green and red peppers, green beans, chopped celery, cauliflower florets and cook until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.
• Add mashed potato mixture, tomato/onion mixture, green onions, fresh dill weed and bring to boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Add lemon juice and stir well.
• Adjust spices to taste.
• Cover and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
• Refrigerate any unused portion of soup.

CHOCOLATE CRACKLE-TOPS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate and butter until smooth, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in sugar and continue stirring 2-3 min or until sugar dissolves. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; stir in vanilla.
• In a separate bowl sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir into the chocolate mix in batches, until just blended. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until the dough is cold and holds its shape.
• Preheat oven to 325 deg. Grease two or more large baking sheets. Place powdered sugar in a small, deep bowl. Using your hands scoop cold dough into small balls and roll into 1 ½ in balls. Drop each ball into the powdered sugar and roll until heavily coated. Remove with a slotted spoon and tap against the side of the bowl to remove excess sugar. Place on the baking sheets 1 ½ in apart.
• Bake for 10-15 min or until tops feel slightly firm when touched. Place baking sheet on wire rack for 2-3 min, then remove cookies and cool on rack completely.